ROCHESTER — A state commission has narrowed a list of more than 2,000 submissions for a new state flag to six finalists, but one submission that did not make the final cut was The North Star Flag, an emblem designed by Rev. William Becker and promoted by Lee Herold, owner of Rochester’s Herold Flags.
The State Emblems Redesign Commission also settled on five finalists for a new state seal. The commission has until Jan. 1 to settle on a design — or use them as the basis — for a new state flag and design.
The commission was created by the Legislature last session to select a new flag and seal, emblems that haven’t been substantially changed in more than a century.
The flag finalists shared common themes and colors, many featuring the North Star against a background of blue, green and white.
Herold attended the hearing where the commission narrowed the submissions down to six flags and five seal design finalists. A longtime advocate for a redesign of the Minnesota state flag, Herold said he didn’t want to come across as a sore loser, but he did not express great praise for the flag finalists.
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“I think we will get a flag that is no longer at the bottom of the rankings,” said Herold about the finalists.
In past interviews, Lee has said that the work of the commission was the best opportunity in generations to pick a powerful new state symbol that is embraced by the public, enhances the state’s profile and puts the state flag in the country's top 10. And as long as it accomplished that, he didn’t mind if The North Star Flag wasn’t selected as a new state flag.
He said he promoted The North Star flag for decades as a way to raise awareness about the need for a new, better state flag. The North Star was created in 1989 and has been viewed by many as the state’s alternative flag.
“A lot of people came to me because they liked it,” Herold said. “And they voted with their dollars. And I thought that they should have gotten more recognition. I feel bad for all the people that have used it all over the years.
“It served its purpose. It changed my life. I was a tax consultant, a CPA, and now I’ve got a flag store. I couldn’t ask more from it,” he added.
Herold noted that the commission has had a tight window to do its work, from Aug. 1 to the end of the year. From their comments, he inferred that they did not spend a lot of time learning about flag design. The North American Vexillological Association has offered to help, but the commission so far has not shown much interest in listening to them, he said.
“I think they only had one person to talk to them for 45 minutes, and I think it showed,” Herold said.
But he indicated opportunities existed for comments from the public to impact the final product.
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“They have work to do, and we’ll see what comes of it,” he said.
The current state flag, which was adopted in 1893, has been viewed as dated and not particularly eye-catching. Tribal communities have viewed it as racist, as it shows a Native American riding into the sunset and out of the picture, while a white settler works a field in the foreground.
The new new flag will start flying on May 11, 2024 — the anniversary of the state's founding — unless the Legislature chooses to veto their designs.
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